Outstanding 8/2 (Tues) camp report by ramsman34...

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ramsman34's camp report Tuesday 8/2/16


Another great day at camp today.

First, about padded practices; I truly believe gone are the days of full pads and full, all-out e contact. We debated this among ourselves at at camp and i just think today's practice was about as padded as its going to get - at least when it is one v ones. Coaches really don't want guys getting in scrums or going to/getting taken to the ground. I know, I know - this is football. Ya, it is. But it is also a big time business with tons of pressure on organizations to succeed and with teams paying obscene money to star players. The reward is not worth the risk, IMO. I think there will only be "real" hitting in some goal line situations, STs, and when the back end of the roster guys go at it.

The Offense:

They have been improving incrementally each day. And in pads, the o-line can actually block and engage the D-line. All in all, the O out performed the D today in 11 v 11 and even in 7 v 7 (as they should). There were two separate 11 v 11 sessions which I have not seen done before. the offense did well in the first session but really shined in the second

I am focusing more on the team O work than anything else so far as this has been, as we all know, the weak link.

11 v 11 - Session 1:

I am not going to do the play by play that I did last report. Someone brought up that it might be too much detail (personnel group, down, distance, etc.) and that might piss the Rams off. I don't think so, but just in case...

Keenum started the session and got the first 4 plays. First was an intermediate out route to Tay which was complete but Quinn smoked GRob and would have had the sack, Next Gurley ripped of a big outside zone run to the weak side. The personnel group and formation were interesting and different. Toss to Benny next that would have been a first down followed by an inside run out of a formation/personnel group that is a dead "we are running the ball" give away. Hopefully they will use play action out of this group/formation

Goff got the next 5 plays. He fumbles the snap from under center on play 1 - not good, but he shook it off. 2. Play-action, but Goff checked it down - he had #81 Duke Williams open for a TD on a post route - the clock in Goff's head is slowly getting adjusted to NFL speed and NFL timing. 3. Checked to a run play pre snap, short gain by Reynolds. 4. Zone read, short gain - benny. 5. Sprint draw, might have been against a blitz, Benny gets a big gain.

Back to Keenum. 1. Gurley, inside for a tough 4 yds. 2. Quinn again blows by GRob but it is a 3-step whip out to Britt for the completion 3. Ck down to Benny, short gain. 4. Jet sweep to Tay, totally blown up by one of our new stud DL - Quinton Coples.

Mannion. 1. Inside run, Aaron Green - no gain, he is tentative running inside, no churn. 2. Nice ball to Harkey on a seam route. 3. Off tackle run - A. Green, good for 5yds. 4. Ck. down on a delay drag, big hit by Ayers to knock receiver down (didn't get the #), short gain.

Back to Keenum. 1. Curl to Kendricks good for a 1st down. 2. ** Gurley out of the backfield on a post route for 20+ yds. against TJ McDonald. TG3 is going to be a match-up problem (cue Marshall Faulk highlights)! 3. Swing to Tay, blitz beater against man coverage - short gain - great closing speed by D 4. corner blitz cover-2 pre snap to cover 1, crossing route to Kendricks - another great blitz beater.

Back to Goff. he had a couple nice throws to TEs on crossers and outs, his first throw this session should have been a pick six, threw a nice deep post to Duke but McDonald broke it up with what would have certainly been called PI - McDonald is NOT a coverage safety, in case anyone is still wondering if he is.

NOTES: We have seen almost ZERO motion or shifts. Also very few screens, no slip screens or middle screens. Very few jet sweeps or jet-action passes. Gurley is running legitimate routes out of the back field - not just wheel or swings routes. His post route from the right side of the QB in shot gun "was a thing of beauty. Spruce, Michael Thomas, occasionally McRoberts, Bradley, and Duke Williams are impressing me - a lot. Quick is better than last year and he made a siiiiick grab in the last 11 v 11 red zone session that I will get to in a minute. But, the level of competition is better than I have seen in years at WR and at TE. I think the 5-6 WRs and the 4 TEs will be a significant upgrade over last year in sum.

Goff is much better against zone than man coverage at this point in camp. Although he crushed it in the 7 v 7 red zone against pure man. He is truly at his best in the red zone. And THAT is an "effing" good thing!

In 7 v 7 Keenum threw a pick -Lamarcus Joyner made a great leaping play at the goal line - he looks really good and improved. He hit Quick on a double-move corner-post route in the back of the end zone - great, and I mean stellar, leaping grab by Quick - another "flash" of his immense, but under tapped potential. Case had another TD to Spruce with some incompletions scattered in between.

Goff had TD throws to M. Thomas, Harkey, and a great in-cut to Duke (yes, I am truly pulling and hoping for this kid to make it). Goff also would have been sacked once and should have been picked once.

All in all, this was the best 7 v 7 session to date with the offense finally finding a way to beat man coverage.

The second 11 v 11 was red zone and a much shorter session. Keenum was ok, but as Hacksaw64 noted, late and threw behind his receivers. He was the same in 7 v 7 against no rush/pressure. CASE IS NOT GOING TO BE THE STARTER! I just can't see it.

Goff kicked ass in this session with 2 TDs to Tavon (smoke screen, and corner route).

If Goff isn't the starter in SF game one, I will be shocked. Keenum has him in the command and control dept. and maybe a little bit in the moxie dept. But everywhere else Goff is dominant: feet, pocket awareness, arm strength , ball placement....the kid just needs reps, and a lot of them in order to get him really ready. It will be interesting to see how much he plays in preseason. If it is more than one would expect, then I am certain he will be the starter day 1 as the coaches are trying to get him repped up and ready as quickly as possible.

I think the kid can handle the adversity of making mistakes, throwing picks, and even losing a couple games.(only a couple, kid) He will make a lot of plays for us this season and beyond and I truly think we are on the verge of a long run of winning football. Goff looks like the real deal to me.

More from Camp Friday.

RM34